Late Night
by Alli4
Summary: Omi is having trouble sleeping so he watches a late night soccer game with Ken.


The room was dark, and what little light there was came from the glowing TV screen. Omi paused at the top of the stairs looking down on the dark room waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He could make out the computer in the corner and the couch in front of the TV but the darkness hid the rest of the room from sight.  
  
Omi hesitated. The TV was on and that meant that someone was down there. It might be Yohji watching one of his late night "movies" but Omi was pretty sure he had seen the older blonde leave on a date hours ago. Of course he might have returned home early but with Yohji that was highly unlikely. It might be Aya, but Omi doubted that. Aya did not watch much TV and seemed to prefer reading alone in his own room so it was highly unlikely that it was the redhead hiding in the dark beneath him. That left only Ken. Ken watched a lot of TV, mostly soccer and cartoons. It never amazed Omi that no matter what time of day Ken was always able to find a soccer game on at least one channel. Sometimes he found two games on at the same time and annoyed his teammates by constantly flipping back and forth in a futile attempt to watch both at the same time. Of course Ken also had gotten into the habit of getting up to get a snack only to get distracted and forget that he had left the TV on. And since the soccer player rarely staid up past midnight unless there was a mission, it was highly possible that he had been watching a game earlier in the evening and forgotten to turn the TV off.  
  
Omi sighed, standing here wasn't going to solve anything and there was only one way to find out who, if anyone, was hidden in the dark room. Quietly Omi made his way down the stairs and towards the couch. He reached out a hand and was surprised to feel cool leather rather then ragged cotton. It took him a moment to remember that Yohji had recently bought them a new couch.  
  
The older blonde boy had said something about the room being a fashion disaster and needing some "style". The others had all been dubious about the playboy's fashion sense, but everyone had been pleasantly surprised when Yohji's only change to the room was a replacement for their worn old couch. It had taken all four of them to get the damn thing up the stairs and then into the small room. It had taken forty minutes for Ken and Yohji to haul the thing through the house with Omi yelling instructions that were largely ignored and Aya following behind to repair whatever damage the two "deliverymen" did. It had been a very trying experience for everyone involved but all had agreed it was worth it. The new couch was incredibly comfortable and the old one had been getting pretty raggedy.  
  
Omi ran his fingers along the cool leather as he walked around one end of the sofa. There was definitely someone lying there and from the steady rise and fall of their body Omi could see that whoever it was was asleep. Omi squinted and tried to see which of his teammates was lying face down and drooling slightly on their new couch.  
  
"Goal!" Omi jumped at the sudden yell and spun around to face the TV. It was a late night soccer game which meant that the figure asleep on the couch was definitely Ken. Smiling slightly Omi reached out to flip off the TV. As the light and sound left the room Ken suddenly rolled over slightly to stare at his teammate sleepily.  
  
"I was watch'n that." He slurred as he ran one hand through mused bangs. Omi laughed as he turned the TV on again.  
  
"You were not. You were dead asleep when I came in." Omi protested as he leaned against the TV.  
  
"I was resting my eyes.Besides it was halftime." Ken replied as he propped his head up on an armrest. Omi snorted but didn't argue. "So what are you still doing up?" Ken asked not looking at the younger boy, but watching the screen with intense interest.  
  
"I don't have school tomorrow." Omi replied defensively.  
  
"Well I wouldn't expect even a great student like you to go to school on Sunday." Ken said as he stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "But you didn't answer my question." He pointed out as he finished the stretch. Omi sighed and pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against.  
  
"Couldn't sleep." He muttered as moved towards the stairs and escape.  
  
"Nightmares again?" Ken asked concern deepening his voice. Omi nodded wordlessly as he walked past the couch. Ken reached out a hand and caught the younger boy's wrist. Omi paused but didn't look at his teammate.  
  
"Its okay you know. We all get nightmares sometimes. Even Aya." Ken said gently. Omi ducked his head unsure of what to say. "You know what the best cure for insomnia is?" Ken asked his voice suddenly cheerful again. Omi didn't know and wasn't sure if he wanted to find out, but since the older boy still had a firm hold on his wrist he had little choice. "Brazil vs. Argentina." Ken declared.  
  
Omi blinked down at him. The older boy must be exhausted, he wasn't making any sense. Ken however was not to be ignored and he tugged insistently on the blonde boys wrist. "Sit down and watch the game with me. This game is really good. They've been playing it all week. Sit." Ken commanded as he pulled Omi down onto the couch. Omi obeyed and sat on the edge of the sofa as he turned to see the TV.  
  
One team was kicking the ball, but the goalie for the other team managed to catch it. The crowd seemed very excited by this but Omi found that he cared very little. He couldn't understand why Ken would want to watch this for what had to be the forth time. "Umm. I can't see when you sit in front of my face." Ken pointed out after a minute or two. Omi turned to face his companion.  
  
"Ken if you can't see why don't you try sitting up?" Ken blinked up at the blonde boy in surprise. Omi laughed at the sleepy surprised look Ken was giving him. Ken seemed to take offense to being laughed at because he reached up and pulled Omi down next to him. "Why don't you lay down so I don't have to sit up. I was here first and this couch is really comfortable."  
  
Omi took a moment to adjust to this change in position. He was now lying right next to Ken. They were so close that Omi could feel the heat of Ken's body beginning to seep through his thin pajama shirt. It was surprisingly comfortable lying there on the new couch next to the former soccer player. Ken seemed to think so too since he threw an arm around the smaller boy and pulled him closer.  
  
"You're warm." Ken announced. Omi shifted slightly so that he could see the screen comfortably.  
  
"What's the score?" He asked.  
  
"Dunno." Ken replied.  
  
"I thought you were just resting your eyes." Omi twisted around so he could see his companion. Ken had his eyes closed again but he opened on to gaze at Omi.  
  
"Leave me alone. I'm comfortable." He said and closed his eyes again.  
  
"Some dedicated soccer fan you are." Omi snorted. Ken stuck out his tongue but his eyes remained shut. Omi sighed and turned around again so he could see the TV and give Ken some more room, but an arm wrapped around him and held him close to the soccer player.  
  
"Warm." Ken muttered. Omi lay still for while watching the game and listening to Ken's breathing. He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew he was waking from a nightmare that had him fighting back a scream. He struggled to sit up but something was holding him back. He looked down to see Ken's arms wrapped tightly around him. Omi struggled for a few more minutes before collapsing breathless again the soccer player.  
  
"Are you okay Omi?" Ken asked with concern.  
  
"Just dreams." Omi gasped as he tried to sink into the couch.  
  
"Rough mission?" Ken asked quietly his arms still encircling the younger boy.  
  
"Yeah." Omi muttered.  
  
"Wanna talk?" Ken asked. Omi thought about the offer. He knew that Ken would listen to him, but he didn't really feel like talking about the images that had deprived him of sleep for the past two nights. He shook his head as he relaxed into the strong arms that supported him.  
  
"Okay. Just go to sleep then." Ken said as he rested his head against the armrest again. Omi lay awake for a while waiting for sleep to return and dreading it. After a while Ken cracked an eye open and gazed at his blonde companion.  
  
"Go to sleep Omi. Its okay, I'm right here." As if to prove his point he pulled Omi firmly against his chest. Omi smiled at the soccer player who had already returned to dozing. Ken was always there for him. Whether it was trying to teach him soccer or taking Omi's shift so that he could finish his homework he always helped when he could. He understood the pressures that Omi faced and was already ready to offer his support. Ken had never lied to him and Omi trusted Ken and even more he had come to depend on him. He trusted Ken but he wasn't sure if the other boy's mere presence was enough to keep his nightmares at bay.  
  
As he considered his options he noticed a steady thumping sound. He listened to the sound for a while and found it soothing. The lack of sleep was taking its effect and Omi finally drifted off into dreamless sleep resting on the new leather sofa and listening to the sound of Ken's heart beating. 


End file.
